Battle Continues Over WWII Training Site

Published: Sunday, July 27, 2014 at 11:40 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, July 28, 2014 at 9:03 a.m.

A small war of words has been going on at a site in Lakeland, which, like many cities in the U.S. during World War II, contributed to the battle to free Europe from Nazi domination.

The weapons in the current fray have been emotion and the city's bank account.

Veterans and nearby neighborhood associations want the city to turn Hangar No. 3 at Tigertown into a museum about the activities that occurred in Lakeland and Polk County in support of the war effort ... and, of course, they want the city to help pay for it.

Tigertown, home of the Detroit Tigers' spring training and minor league team, the Flying Tigers, are located in what during World War II was Lodwick Field, where British and then American pilots were trained.

The city and the Tigers agreed recently to a new 20-year contract for spring training in Lakeland and a big renovation project at Joker Marchant stadium.

The three hangars, southeast of the stadium, will be left and are not a part of the renovations. Since the 1950s the hangars have been part of the city's parks and recreation facilities.

The city's liaison with the Tigers, Bill Tinsley, had said early on that Hangar 3 would not be disturbed, but that it would not become a museum for World War II, either.

The latest skirmishes between the city and some veterans broke out over the $80,000 commissioners voted to correct the deterioration of Hangar 3.

Treasa Towson, chair of the Lakeshore Neighbor Association and a member of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge based upon her father's service, said the renovations removed many of the historic items inside the hangar.

"They just gutted it. Now there is no chance of getting a historic grant. The renovations removed a small corner office that had been the weather station for the flight school."

Bob Donahay, Tinsley's successor as director of the Lakeland Parks and Recreation Department, said that the renovations in the hangar did not destroy World War II memorabilia.

"The wood removed was from renovations to convert the hangar into a Parks Department office in the 1950s," he said.

"I first started to work for the department in Hangar 3, which at that time, was the parks office," he said. "The inside had been altered after Lodwick left and there were really no historic structures removed when we replaced rusted windows and tore out rotted wood."

Donahay said he wants to work with the nearby residents and veterans groups, but said the city does not have the money to turn the hangar into a museum and to staff it.

"These were not Air Force facilities. They were for a private contractor who trained pilots for the military, and they had a shelf life. The cafeteria is gone and other places with it. There are still the three hangars and part of the runway there," he said.

"I have told the residents and veterans that they need to decide what they can do and have to recognize that has to be within the money that they can raise," he said.

Donahay said he has suggested beneficial and yet economically feasible projects such as a long weather-protected panel with pictures from the era.

"This way children and grandchildren could see what went on and then look and see the landmarks that are there," he said.

Towson said that the museum, however, would be a way of preserving all the activities in Lakeland and the county during the war and that the city is stalling because some administrators are opposed.

Donahay said the city has worked with veterans groups and helped create and maintain Veterans Park behind the Lakeland Center.

"But we can't sink $1 million into a museum and its staff," he said. "My heart goes out to them. I tell them to put together an action plan of what they want and what it will cost and we will work with them."

PUTNAM HOSTING STUDENT COOKOFF

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam has pushed for better nutrition for school students since taking office in January 2010.

He won support from the Florida Legislature to move the school lunch program from the Department of Education to the Department of Agriculture, then set about getting more fresh produce and foods from Florida farmers to serve in the state's schools.

Despite his less-than-private ambitions for the governor's chair in four years and his attendance at political in-crowd gatherings, Putnam has urged and taken up the work himself for educating students about the importance of good nutrition.

In his latest program, Putnam, a Bartow native, is sponsoring the "Student Chef Cookoff."

Florida students are invited to create and submit an original snack recipe that includes at least one fruit or vegetable and can be prepared in less than 45 minutes.

The finalists will demonstrate their recipes before a panel of judges at five regional cookoff competitions. One winner from each region will serve as a Fresh For Florida Kids Student Chef Ambassador. Polk students would show their recipes at the Publix Aprons Cooking School in Tampa on Sept. 27.

In his latest newsletter, Putnam reiterated his message that good nutrition is necessary for learning in school.

For information about the Student Chef Cookoff go to http://bit.ly/1AlMN6E.

[ Contact Political Editor Bill Rufty at bill.rufty@theledger.com or 863-802-7523.]

<p>A small war of words has been going on at a site in Lakeland, which, like many cities in the U.S. during World War II, contributed to the battle to free Europe from Nazi domination.</p><p>The weapons in the current fray have been emotion and the city's bank account.</p><p>Veterans and nearby neighborhood associations want the city to turn Hangar No. 3 at Tigertown into a museum about the activities that occurred in Lakeland and Polk County in support of the war effort ... and, of course, they want the city to help pay for it.</p><p>Tigertown, home of the Detroit Tigers' spring training and minor league team, the Flying Tigers, are located in what during World War II was Lodwick Field, where British and then American pilots were trained.</p><p>The city and the Tigers agreed recently to a new 20-year contract for spring training in Lakeland and a big renovation project at Joker Marchant stadium.</p><p>The three hangars, southeast of the stadium, will be left and are not a part of the renovations. Since the 1950s the hangars have been part of the city's parks and recreation facilities.</p><p>The city's liaison with the Tigers, Bill Tinsley, had said early on that Hangar 3 would not be disturbed, but that it would not become a museum for World War II, either.</p><p>The latest skirmishes between the city and some veterans broke out over the $80,000 commissioners voted to correct the deterioration of Hangar 3.</p><p>Treasa Towson, chair of the Lakeshore Neighbor Association and a member of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge based upon her father's service, said the renovations removed many of the historic items inside the hangar.</p><p>"They just gutted it. Now there is no chance of getting a historic grant. The renovations removed a small corner office that had been the weather station for the flight school."</p><p>Bob Donahay, Tinsley's successor as director of the Lakeland Parks and Recreation Department, said that the renovations in the hangar did not destroy World War II memorabilia.</p><p>"The wood removed was from renovations to convert the hangar into a Parks Department office in the 1950s," he said.</p><p>"I first started to work for the department in Hangar 3, which at that time, was the parks office," he said. "The inside had been altered after Lodwick left and there were really no historic structures removed when we replaced rusted windows and tore out rotted wood."</p><p>Donahay said he wants to work with the nearby residents and veterans groups, but said the city does not have the money to turn the hangar into a museum and to staff it.</p><p>"These were not Air Force facilities. They were for a private contractor who trained pilots for the military, and they had a shelf life. The cafeteria is gone and other places with it. There are still the three hangars and part of the runway there," he said.</p><p>"I have told the residents and veterans that they need to decide what they can do and have to recognize that has to be within the money that they can raise," he said.</p><p>Donahay said he has suggested beneficial and yet economically feasible projects such as a long weather-protected panel with pictures from the era.</p><p>"This way children and grandchildren could see what went on and then look and see the landmarks that are there," he said.</p><p>Towson said that the museum, however, would be a way of preserving all the activities in Lakeland and the county during the war and that the city is stalling because some administrators are opposed.</p><p>Donahay said the city has worked with veterans groups and helped create and maintain Veterans Park behind the Lakeland Center.</p><p>"But we can't sink $1 million into a museum and its staff," he said. "My heart goes out to them. I tell them to put together an action plan of what they want and what it will cost and we will work with them."</p><p><b>PUTNAM HOSTING STUDENT COOKOFF</b></p><p>Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam has pushed for better nutrition for school students since taking office in January 2010.</p><p>He won support from the Florida Legislature to move the school lunch program from the Department of Education to the Department of Agriculture, then set about getting more fresh produce and foods from Florida farmers to serve in the state's schools.</p><p>Despite his less-than-private ambitions for the governor's chair in four years and his attendance at political in-crowd gatherings, Putnam has urged and taken up the work himself for educating students about the importance of good nutrition.</p><p>In his latest program, Putnam, a Bartow native, is sponsoring the "Student Chef Cookoff."</p><p>Florida students are invited to create and submit an original snack recipe that includes at least one fruit or vegetable and can be prepared in less than 45 minutes.</p><p>The finalists will demonstrate their recipes before a panel of judges at five regional cookoff competitions. One winner from each region will serve as a Fresh For Florida Kids Student Chef Ambassador. Polk students would show their recipes at the Publix Aprons Cooking School in Tampa on Sept. 27.</p><p>In his latest newsletter, Putnam reiterated his message that good nutrition is necessary for learning in school.</p><p>For information about the Student Chef Cookoff go to http://bit.ly/1AlMN6E.</p><p>[ Contact Political Editor Bill Rufty at bill.rufty@theledger.com or 863-802-7523.]</p>